Mountain Bike Orienteering (MTBO) can consist of several styles of race formats that include three distinct categories: Competitive, Alternative, and Experimental. In this weeks MTBO America article, we'll cover the finer points of Competitive race formats.

Are Mountain Bikes really that big of threat to the American orienteering establishment? MTBO America was recently asked the following question from a racer in Utah: "Is the way forward [for mountain bike orienteering] to get already existing orienteering clubs to incorporate MTBO or do you think separate MTBO clubs need to be set up?"

Race organizers in the US have from time-to-time produced MTB Orienteering races. However, no organized effort has ever been attempted to bring MTB Orienteering into the forefront of American orienteering competitions. Additionally, there are no American MTBO teams represented in any World MTB Orienteering Championship events, there is no active effort to form a competitive process for creating MTBO teams for international competition, and even the US Orienteering Federation has yet to place any emphasis (or resources) on MTB Orienteering within the US. MTBO America hopes to change all that!